Humans
Humans are the most common sentient species on our planet. By default, mages attending Trefoil Academy will be humans (though the school accepts non-humans). All Humans Appearance Humans come in various shapes and sizes, and are one of the most variable species in the world in terms of physique. Lifespan While the usual nonmage life expectancy ranges from 70 to 100 years, mages tend to live longer, with an average life expectancy of 150. Some can live to 200 or more, with an account of the oldest mage known to have lived to around 750 years old! Food Humans are omnivores, though some prefer a vegetarian or vegan diet. Favorite foods and flavor profiles vary widely. The most commonly eaten food in the world is rice; pasta is the next most common. Vegetables, fruit, and poultry are generically the next most common food items. Magekind Magic is usually an inherited ability, passed down from parent to child. * Purebloods are mages born of magical parentage. How far back this goes depends on cultural definitions (and some elitism); some mages do not consider a person a pureblood unless they have had magical parentage for six generations. Others are more loose in their definitions, considering only the parents. * Halfbloods are usually mages born of one magical parent and one non-magical parent. Some mages consider a person a halfblood even if the only non-mage in their family tree is a Great Great Great Grandparent! * Halfbreeds are mages who have a parent of another species. Again, some mages are picky about grandparents and further back, as well! * "First Generation Mage" is one born to non-magical parents. It is rare but not unheard of, possibly due to a latent gene, a magical event, or luck. Many purebloods are rather elitist about their lineage, some more than others. There are magic rituals that conjure up magical family trees to test for blood "purity" to get into some magic schools, but most schools only care about the student's ability rather than their lineage. Magical Society For a very long time, magekind was kept secret from the rest of the world, since most non-mages tended to fear, resent, or hate the power that mages could wield over them. Owing to this, most of magekind either keeps their powers secret from their neighbors, or live in their own secluded towns which block access to non-mages. Magical towns are often built with magic and have enchantments, wards, and special magical effects all over; many still use horses or enchanted carriages for transportation. Purebloods themselves have been living so separated that they often have no idea what non-mage lifestyles are like, especially regarding technology. Bloodlines in particular are prone to this. Rules and regulations vary from region to region, and even among individual bloodlines. An international confederation works to regulate certain international laws and maintain secrecy. Abilities Human mages are extremely versatile and can learn all sorts of different magics. They will usually have affinity or talent for certain types, though some are a natural "jack of all trades" with no special skill in any particular type of magic. Magical abilities can include but are not limited to: * Elemental magics, such as fire, water, earth, and air. ** Radiant (Solar or Lunar), plant, shadow, ice, electricity, and other magics as well! * Shapeshifting * Healing * Telepathic powers (both mind reading, telepathy, and memory manipulations) * Telekinetic powers * Illusions * Magic shields and protections * Divination and fortune-telling as Seers * Animal speech and charms, including befriending and training an animal companion * Emotional enchantments * Summoning creatures and elementals from other places, or conjuring them from raw magic * Shadow/"Dark" arts, including Necromancy and curses * Poison resistance Non-mages "Non-mages" are non-magical humans, and they make up most of the human population. Some mages call them "Changelings" out of the perception that the magic child was stolen away by Fairies and replaced with a nonmagical being. Most non-mages were unaware that magic and mages actually existed outside of fairy tales. Those who knew tended to be sequestered or magically-bound to secrecy, or were laughed off by their fellows as telling tales (or worse, deemed insane). Unfortunately, in the recent decade, a nonmage was able to procure proof of the existence of magic, and fear has spread, causing a rise of Witch Hunters who are acting to protect their world from the threat that magic poses to all they hold dear. Non-mages cannot attend magical schools as students, and must attend non-magical schools instead. "Changelings" Born to Mages Magic usually manifests before a child turns 10, and more rarely during puberty. If a child born among mages does not show any magical powers by the time they are of schooling age (usually 10 or 11), they are often deemed non-magical, which can be a source of dishonor or shame to many magic families (especially purebloods). Different families deal with this in different ways. * Hiding the child from the public * Trying to integrate the child into nonmagical society, with or without a memory wipe * Trying to find jobs for the child in magical society (physical labor or nonmagical academics) * Disowning the child, or worse (especially among purebloods) Category:Species